A Past of Pain
by ShadowXene
Summary: AU // But the feature that most stood out about him were his eyes. They were a deep Prussian blue color, but completely cold. Freezing, ice-cold eyes set into such a young face unnerved her. //
1. First Meeting

  


Please read this first!!!!!!! Hn........ lessee here...........as you all know, my name is Chibi Angel. At least, I hope you all know this....... N E Wayz, this is NOT my first Gundam fic but I will try to make it my best. Um.........this is AU, Alternate Universe, so things WILL be slightly tweaked. Just so you know.........in the manga, Episode Zero to be exact, it talks about how Heero was with Odin Lowe until he was about ten or eleven and then he went with Dr. J. I am tweaking this. Heero stays with Odin Lowe since he was about two years old until he was about maybe six or so. This prologue will be mainly flashbacks and memories kind of explaining a little bit the changed past. I will explain this more in detail in the author's note in the next chapter cause if I explain now it will give away this whole chapter............prologue I should say. So now that you know a little bit about the slightly tweaked alternate universe you may proceed to the main story. 

Disclaimer: Only one I'm gonna make for this whole fic. I do NOT own Gundam Wing or any character in this story except for the ones I make up and I hope that you're smart enough to know who they are. Do not sue for I am not making any profit from this story and I'm currently broke so you'll get nothing. Thank you for taking the time to listen to my boring disclaimer rant. 

Key: 

"..." = talking 

'...' = thoughts 

_italic text_ = memories or flashbacks 

(parentheses) = author's comments 

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**~A.C. 182~**

The little girl huddled back into the shadows hugging her knees to her chest. Her once frilly, pink dress was ripped and torn and dirty, her hands and face smeared with grime. Her large, clear blue eyes stared out unseeingly at the people walking by. Her once honey colored hair was filthy with dirt and grease and appeared a dark brown with all the filth. Her feet were torn and bleeding and she had a large gash that ran from her right temple to her chin. She appeared no more than two or three years old but she had seen things no child should see. 

Her mind wandered back to a week ago, when her life had crumpled around her... 

_ Mobile suits everywhere. Shooting. Fires. Destruction. Walls caving in. Death. She ran blindly through the building, searching for her mother, her father, her brother, anyone. She was lost. Her home had turned into a maze from the section that had caved in. A maze. Ever shifting and changing. She tried to towards the place where she knew her brother would be. The underground defense base. It was hidden and secret from everyone except the defense officers. The few that were there. The royal family had no knowledge of it. Her brother and herself had only found it because they had been exploring the passageways and had encountered the secret entrance. She ran as fast as she could. Only to find that when she got there she couldn't get in. The entrance had been blocked by falling rubble and there was no way she could possibly move it. She had to run away. Her parents were probably dead. She understood that. She would probably never see her brother again either._

_ She had to run away. If she stayed she would get killed. She was young, very young, but she understood so much already. She made her way through the huge building, planning on leaving through the back entrance. She was only a few feet away when a big piece of falling rubble hit her on the head. It wasn't enough to kill her, but it did leave a large wound on the side of her head. She felt like falling to the floor and sleeping. Not here. Not now. She had to get out first. She stumbled towards the door, somehow managing to remain conscious through the pain and weariness that tried to overtake her. She staggered out onto the courtyard and headed over to secret hole on the far side of the courtyard where she would be safe. She had found it not too long ago and had dug it out to make a sort of burrow big enough to lie down in. It was pretty deep underground so she assumed it would be safe there. She had made a lid out of a round piece of sod cleverly concealing the entrance to her tunnel with a trapdoor that made it look like the rest of the grassy courtyard._

_ She yanked up on the trapdoor and it opened easily and she crawled inside. Once inside, she turned around and carefully closed the trapdoor to conceal it from the outside world. She collapsed wearily on the soft velvety material of the rug she had brought here earlier as her mind began to shut down. Hazily, she hoped she would be safe here. The last thing her cloudy mind registered was the fear of never seeing her family again. Thankfully, that was the last thought she had as her world sank into darkness._

_ She awoke a few hours later with a splitting headache. The noises of battle were gone. It was strangely quiet out there. Dead silent. The only sound she heard was her own soft breathing and her heart beating steadily in her chest. A wave of fear overtook her. She braced herself against the onslaught of confused emotions. She would not cry. She could not cry. It wasn't acceptable. Slowly, carefully, she climbed out of the burrow where she had hidden for a while, out into a world drastically changed from what she knew. She cautiously walked around the debris everywhere and set off away from what had once been her home. She didn't look back._

The girl shivered against the cool night air. It was late summer and the night temperatures had begun to drop on account of the fast approaching autumn. Her eyes slowly came back to focus as she noticed a young boy of about her age standing in front of her. His deep Prussian blue eyes had a measuring look in them as they seemed to determine why she was here. The girl stared back with an equally calculating look as she took in his appearance. The boy was about her height, possibly a few inches taller. He had large Prussian blue eyes that might have made his face seem adorable if it hadn't been for the cold look in them. His unruly hair was a deep moss green, the dark brown strands seeming to stay wherever they pleased and stuck out in all directions. He was dressed simply in a pair of navy jeans, a dark green T-shirt, and a pair of black gym shoes. He held out his hand to help the girl up and pulled her to her feet. "Come with me," he told her, his voice unusually cold for such a little boy. The girl followed mutely.   
  


The girl followed the boy to an abandoned warehouse where he led her down a corridor to a large room. Inside the room a man was sitting at a desk typing something on a laptop computer. The boy knocked on the open wooden door twice. The man looked up. "What do you want boy?" he asked gruffly. Then the man noticed the little girl standing silently next to the boy. He stood up and walked over to them. He kneeled down in front of the little girl. "Where'd you come from? Where are your parents?" the man asked the small girl. She raised her head boldly and replied unflinchingly. "My home was destroyed. My parents are dead. I have am alone." The man nodded. "Would you like to stay with us?" The tiny girl seemed to contemplate this for a minute before nodding. "Good. Let me tell you now though, you have to earn your keep. I'll teach you all I know, but you will have to work hard." The girl nodded twice. "Okay. My name is Odin Lowe. What's you name?" "Relena. Relena Peacecraft." Odin Lowe seemed slightly surprised at this but said nothing. "Kid, show her to a room and let her borrow some of your clothes for today." 

The boy nodded and motioned for the girl to follow him. "What's your name?" Relena asked the boy. "I don't have one," the boy replied in a monotone voice. "Don't be silly, everyone has a name." "If I had one I don't remember it." "I see," Relena murmured. "I'll call you Heero," she replied decisively after a moment. "Why Heero?" the boy asked. "It just seems to suit you..." 

Hn...........*looks over what she just typed*........that's it for the prologue. Please remember to read the author's note on the next chapter to clear up more of this messed up past. Please review if you want to read the next chapter. It wont kill you. Just click on the little gray button and leave a nice review that will only take up a few minutes of your time. I will *NOT* post the next chapter unless I have at *LEAST* five good reviews. Notice that I said *GOOD* reviews. I'm sorry that I have to make demands, but not getting any reviews means that no one is reading your story so why bother continuing it. So *5* *GOOD* reviews and I'll post the next chapter okay? K. Ja ne! ~ Chibi 


	2. New Mission

  
  
  
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** Read this first!!!!! ** First of all, I want to apologize for not updating in more than a week, but I was banned from the Internet for all of Spring Break. Luckily, I was able to use the computer so I used that time to type up this chapter. Again though, I will demand at least *10* reviews before I post up the next chapter. Yes, I upped the tally. No, I will not change my mind. As for the twisted past, I'm gonna explain it now. From what I understand, Heero's parents were killed during the attack on the L1 colony. Odin Lowe found Heero and took him in. I'm not sure how much time passed between the attack on L1 and the attack on the Sanq Kingdom, or which one came first. For the sake of the plot line in this story, I'm making the attack on the Sanq Kingdom come after. I also understand that the kingdom was destroyed when Relena was only a baby I think. Well, like I said, for the sake of the plot line, she was two when it happened. Yes, I also know that for two year olds both Heero and Relena were very articulate, but I'm not good at baby talk. I just put it to the fact that Relena was trained at a very young age to have proper manners and proper speech and grammar as a result of being the princess of the Sanq Kingdom. Heero because he's just…………Heero. Also, in my story Odin Lowe went down to Earth from L1 to take care of some assignment he had, and that's how Heero met Relena and took her to Odin. Like Heero, Relena was also taught to be an assassin by Odin and she went along with Heero on the mission that killed him. Dr. J found them and took them in. Like I said in the previous chapter, I'm changing that mission to take place years earlier in A.C. 185 when they were 5 years old. Both of them were genetically enhanced and trained to become perfect soldiers. That includes all the hacking skills, superior strength, ability to be awake and make it not show up on the little scan thingys that monitor brain waves, etc. Uh………both of them were given a gundam and taught how to pilot it. Heero's is the Wing Gundam, of course, and Relena's is the Angel Gundam. I know the whole Relena being a gundam pilot thing has been done before, but I'm trying hard to make mine different and unique. This chapter is kinda like an extended prologue, but that's only because this chapter is essential to the story. I do kinda need it. Otherwise you might not understand the rest of the story. This chapter is set on L1 and kinda explains more about the time with Dr. J but just in case you still don't get it, I'm putting the final explanation in the next chapter's author's note. On to the story…… 

Disclaimer: Check out the first chapter. 

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~A.C 188 

Relena sighed as she completed her workout for the day. Dr. J made them a little harder each time. It was only noon and already she had done her warm-ups, a three-mile jog in twenty minutes (it is possible, no I have not done it before…... ^^), seventy crunches, sixty push-ups, a ten-minute flexed arm hang, and forty pull-ups. Not to mention fifty thirty-pound bench presses, thirty forty-pound bench presses, an hour-long sparring session with Heero, a half-hour training session with one of Dr. J's assistants, and finally her five-minute cool-down session. One of these days she was going to kill Dr. J for making the workouts so long. Not that she really minded. It kept her occupied. 

She waited for Heero to finish his cool-down so they could head over to the command room where they were due for their pilot training. She grabbed a towel and draped it around her neck, using the ends to rub off the sweat on her neck and face. She quickly retied her tight ponytail to keep her hair from her face and tossed Heero a towel as he walked toward her. "Ready?" Relena asked him. "Hn." "Let's get going then before Dr. J blows his top." Heero nodded and they headed off in the direction of the command room. 

"Have you finished modifying the Angel Gundam?" Heero asked her. They had gotten their gundams almost a month ago and were allowed to make any modifications they wanted. Relena had wanted to add on a few more vulcans and instead of the regular wings and the bird mode transformation she decided to add four angel wings, two for flight and two that could be used as a shield. "Almost. All that's left is to recalibrate the Angel blaster and I'm finished. Should take only five minutes tops. What about you? Have you finished synchronizing the battle program installed on Wing Gundam?" "Yeah. I wonder when we'll get our first mission." "Must be soon. We've finished training and our gundams are completely operational and our piloting skills have exceeded those required." "Hn." 

When they reached the command room Dr. J motioned for them to follow him through a door on one side. They obeyed mutely. The door led to a secret room with a giant viewscreen in the center. A chart of the locations of the Earth and colonies was taped to the center of a small table in the middle of the room. Dr. J took a seat at the end of the table and motioned for Heero and Relena to sit on the side facing the viewscreen. They sat, both completely mystified but not showing it, their faces devoid of all expression. Dr. J turned to them. 

"The mission you are supposed to undertake is called Operation Meteor." Dr. J pushed a button and the design schematics for both the Wing Gundam and the Angel Gundam appeared on the screen. "These two gundams and four others were designed by other scientists like myself for this purpose. Originally, there were only supposed to be five gundams created. The Wing Gundam," he pressed another button and the schematics for the Wing fill the screen. "The Gundam Deathscythe," another button was pushed and the plans for the Deathscythe appeared. "The Gundam Heavyarms," the blueprints for the Heavyarms appeared as the next button was pressed. "The Gundam Sandrock," design schematics for the Sandrock appeared on the viewscreen when the button was pushed. "And the Shenlong Gundam," (someone please answer my question: Is it Shenlon or Shenlong? O.O?) The last design specs came up at the touch of a button. (Whew, glad that's over, too many push this button here then pressed that button and………you get the picture. ^^) 

"However, I changed this and built a sixth gundam, the Angel Gundam," Dr. J brought up the schematics, "since I apparently had to train another pilot. Even so, this plan will not be carried out. This is for the sole reason that the Barton Foundation, the group that originally designed this plan to bring about peace between the Colonies and Earth, would put the whole of the Colonies and Earth under their complete control and we would be worse off. Instead, we will launch an attack against OZ, the organization that began the disagreements between Earth and the Colonies. OZ is an organization that started out aimed for peace, though over a matter of time, I believe that some members of the organization began to aspire towards complete control of the Earth and Colonies. 

"This operation will begin in A.C 195, exactly seven years from now. There will be the five originally planned gundams launched to five different areas of the Earth Sphere. 01, Heero, will go to England. 02, Duo Maxwell, pilot of Gundam Deathscythe, will be launched toward America. 03, Trowa Barton, pilot of Gundam Heavyarms, will be launched toward Latin America. 04, Quatre Raberba Winner, pilot of Gundam Sandrock, will go to Arabia. Finally, 05, Chang Wufei, pilot of the Shenlong Gundam, will land in China. Relena will begin her part of the mission a week from today." Relena's face was impassive on the outside but inside she was curious. 

"What is my mission?" "Relena, you will return to England, where your uncle, Vice-Foreign Minister Darlian is situated. You must return to your position as the Princess of the Sanq Kingdom, Relena Peacecraft. This is essential, because once the operation is begun, the Vice-Minister will become a target. You Relena, will be needed to continue his work. When this happens, the war, for it will become a war, will begin in earnest. While Relena will remain a big, influential, political figure, the five gundams and pilots will work toward disbanding OZ. Relena will be able to join the fights as soon as she regains her memories." 

Relena appeared shocked at this. She had been upset at having to return to being a Peacecraft with the silly ideas that talk and pacifism will bring peace. She had been even more upset at the thought that she might not be able to join the fights. Now what did he mean by 'when she regains her memories'? "Relena will go down to Earth in her gundam, hide the gundam properly, and head off in the direction of the Vice-Minister's home. When she is far enough away from her gundam and close enough to the Darlian home, she must spray she air in front of her face with this," he held up a small spay can, "and take a deep breath. This will effectively erase all her memories except for her first name. She will believe that she is Relena Darlian until her memories are triggered back. Once that happens, the operation should be already well under way, and Relena should be able to fight against OZ both using her gundam and her political status. We should have no problem winning the war." Dr. J handed Relena the spray can. "You are dismissed. Heero, help Relena get ready for her mission and you must both return here in a week. Until then you will be relieved from pilot training." 

Heero and Relena nodded and left toward the gundam hanger. As soon as they got there, Relena began work on her gundam, checking all controls, circuits, and wires, calibrating the Angel Blaster and double-checking the command system. Inside, she was angry. She was furious at Dr. J. Maybe it was necessary for the mission, but she was still mad. Why did she have to return to being some frilly princess. It wasn't that she liked killing. She had been on missions before with Odin and Heero and she had killed too, but she didn't like it. Neither did Odin or Heero, but it had to be done. Anyone who liked killing was sick in the head, in her opinion. But still, she was a soldier, not a pacifist princess. She would have to live like one for seven years until her memory returned. She also knew that if she didn't erase her memories she would never be able to do it. She was also slightly nervous, she didn't know how to act. Her fighting skills and soldier skills had become instinct, even if her memory was erased they wouldn't go away. She knew that before she left her gundam she would have to leave all her weapons or she might end up hurting or even killing innocent civilians. Would her so-called uncle, Vice-Minister Darlian, know who she was? 

Relena sensed Heero watching her. "What do you want Heero?" she asked him without turning from what she was doing. "Maybe it won't be so bad. You won't remember anything so it might not be that hard to adjust." "I am a soldier. You of all people should know that. I'll have a very hard time adjusting. Besides, instincts are not things you can remove by simply erasing memories." "Hn." She finished her task and turned to him. "I'm done, the Angel is all checked out. Wanna go out to get something to eat?" "Yeah sure." "Let's go." 

~ One Week Later 

Relena adjusted the wing shields to protect her gundam as she entered Earth's atmosphere. She was going to land the thing in the middle of a dense forest area in England, pretty close to the Darlian residence, but not so close that there was a risk of her gundam being discovered. She had to be careful. It was well past midnight, and it was still pretty dark, though the sun would rise soon. As soon as she cleared the atmosphere she guided her gundam towards the forest. Once there she slowly lowered the giant mecha, being careful not to destroy the trees around her, so as to not raise suspicion. She set the gundam down in a sitting position, and jumped out. 

Relena carefully removed all her weapons and set them inside a secret compartment she had added to one of the feathers in the first wing. That done, she began the approximated three-hour hike to the Darlian residence. 

It was around seven in the morning when Relena reached her destination. She stood outside the gates of the Darlian residence. Making sure no one was around she took the spray can out of one of her pockets and sprayed the air in front of her and threw the can away. She took a deep breath and her world went dark. 

So………whaddaya think. Remember………*10* good reviews for the next chapter. I might not be able to update as often as I'd like cause I got SAT's I have to take and finals are coming up. I will try as hard as I can to update regularly, possibly once a week or more, provided the review requirement is met. That's it for now………Ja ne! ~Chibi   



	3. Second Meeting

  
  
  
  
  


I'm back!!!!! Here's the next chapter. This chapter is dedicated to Lillia Karasu. I am only posting this chapter because of the great review she left me. I would also like to dedicate this chapter to all those other ppl who left great reviews. U kno who u are. I did not get the 10 reviews I wanted and because of this, I am really mad at ppl. If you read this story please review. And since I'm so ticked off, I'm upping the review demand to 15. I don't have anything to say for this chapter. Any questions, e~mail me at chibi_angelz@hotmail.com or leave it in your review. 

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~A.C. 195 

The girl, young woman really, walked along the fence surrounding the beach. Her honey blonde hair was left loose with two small braids starting at her temples and tied together at the back keeping her hair out of her face. She was dressed simply in a white blouse and light blue dress pants. Her mother had insisted that she wear a skirt, but she hated them. What was the point anyway? They had simply been returning from a political meeting on one of the colonies. It wasn't some big gala or something. 

Relena felt slightly disappointed. She cursed herself for being weak. She hated emotions. She should have been used to it by now anyway. Her father never really had much time for her anymore. He was the Vice-Foreign Minister after all. He had many duties to attend to. 

But that wasn't the only reason. Something was missing. She didn't know what, but something was missing. For one thing, any memory she could possibly have had since before age eight was gone. She couldn't remember anything from before then except her name. Her parents told her that she had fallen down the stairs and hit her head, causing amnesia. 

But that wasn't the real reason either. She had a feeling that there was something she was supposed to be doing. Something important, some………mission………… She stopped and shook her head. Where had that come from? She was a pacifist…she hated war and violence…didn't she? If she did……then why did she feel the strongest urge like she should be fighting? 

She shook off the strange thoughts and kept on walking. She looked down at the beach and noticed something strange. She almost didn't see it since it was almost completely covered up with sand. It looked almost human. She squinted her eyes trying to make it out better. It was a human!!!! A young man of about her age. No more than fifteen. 

Relena ran over to stairs leading down onto the shore and dialed for an ambulance on her cell phone. Then she quickly ran over to the boy. She had no trouble in flipping him onto his back from where he was lying face-down in the sand. She was exceptionally strong. Once she got a good look at his face she stopped abruptly and stared at youth in front of her. He seemed so familiar. He had unruly moss green hair, the dark strands sticking out all over the place. His face was still slightly boyish although not by much. She had a gut feeling that if he opened his eyes they would be a deep, beautiful Prussian blue, with an endless depth and a shocking coldness to them. 

Almost as if responding to her thoughts, his eyes fluttered open and stared at her. They were exactly as she had imagined. He stared at her for who knows how long; she thought she saw a flicker of recognition in the endless blue depths, but must have imagined it. For some reason a name floated into her thoughts…… Heero……… She stared back. There was something about him……… 

They were jolted back into reality by the sirens from the approaching ambulance. The boy sprang up and ran for the stairs leading back up to the road. He quickly rendered the medics unconscious and drove off in the ambulance at high speed. Relena didn't seem at all surprised at his reaction or means. It was almost as if she had known him before……… "Heero Yuy…" she murmured under her breath. She resumed her walk home wondering why that name had popped up and trying to get it out of her mind. Try as she might……it stayed…… 

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Hn……should I leave you all hanging here? Hmm……… Nah. I'm not that mean. Remember that I'm posting this chapter only because of the great review I got from Lilia Karasu and a few other ppl who left great reviews. Thank them. Sorry but I can't remember your names right now. I'll e~mail you guys later on. Remember that if you really want the next chapter it's 15 reviews. No one great review will make me post up another chapter. It must be 15. Read on…………   
  
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~ Next Day 

Relena sat in class staring at the teacher completely bored out of her mind. All of this stuff she knew. It was the middle of math class and she knew stuff years more advanced than what the teacher was teaching. She looked down at her notebook and decided to doodle for a bit to try to take away some of the boredom. Not really paying attention, she picked up her pencil and simply began drawing lines here and there, her mind elsewhere, still thinking about the boy she had met on the beach. 

After a while she forced herself to clear her head, and looked down at her paper. To her surprise she found she had drawn something that seemed strangely familiar, just like the boy on the beach had been. It appeared to be a mobile suit, but was different from the MS that the military had. It was designed differently, and had four wings, two of them extended as if flying and two slightly curved in toward the body, like a shield. The wings were designed like angel wings, each feather drawn exactly. The body of the MS wasn't as wide as the standard military issued Leos, but slightly slimmer, leaner, almost slightly more feminine. In its right hand it held what appeared to be a large beam cannon, powerful-looking, but compact. 

She quickly shut her notebook hoping no one had seen what she had drawn and once more stared at the front of the room, her thoughts troubled. Why had she drawn that? More importantly, how had she drawn that? She had no knowledge whatsoever of mobile suits, except that the standard issue were Leos, but everyone knew that. She knew a bit about weaponry from what she had heard from boys at her school, beam cannons and such, but her knowledge ended there. She certainly didn't know enough to draw one, even though she was a good artist, let alone make one up, for she was certain that there was no MS like that one. 

Her teacher, announcing that they had a new student -thankfully - pulled Relena out of her thoughts. Grateful for the distraction she stared intently at the door waiting for the new student to appear. 

Heero walked into the classroom and immediately felt the eyes of all the people in the room upon him. He remained unfazed with a neutral expression on his face. "My name is Heero Yuy. It's a pleasure to meet you," he said to the class in a cold, emotionless voice that made everyone either flinch or shudder involuntarily. All except one… The girl he met on the beach……Relena… It was obviously her. He couldn't forget the piercing, ice cold, crystal blue eyes, the determined, emotionless expression, or the honey blonde hair that was always either in a tight ponytail or loose. He couldn't, no matter how hard he tried……and he had tried. She had been his best friend, his only friend, for six years. She had been there on all the missions, all the training, all the bloodshed, all the pain. He couldn't forget her……it was an impossible mission that he simply wouldn't undertake. 

She was staring at him intently. To anyone else her expression would have been unreadable and emotionless, but he had known her and grown up with her for six years. He knew how to read her eyes and body language. She was deep in thought……her mind working quickly……trying to remember……confused… she was confused and lost. He wished he could help her but he couldn't. Not yet. Soon. Soon. 

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That's it for now. Remember that I will not post the next chapter without 15 reviews. I don't care if it sits without an update for six years. I will not post the next chapter without 15 reviews. As long as ppl review…I will try to post at least once a week. Once again thanx a bunch to those great ppl who have the decency to leave at least a three word review to show that they like the story they're reading and that they're actually reading the story. Ja ne!! ~Chibi 

P.S. I am not bluffing. I seriously will not post without the required review quota met. I had doubts about posting this chapter but I decided to because of that great review. So if you really want the next chapter, click on the little gray box down there and leave a review. 

P.P.S. To those ppl whom I greatly appreciate that *did* review, if you left your e~mail watch your inbox cause I'll be sending you a little e~card sometime this week to show my appreciation.   



	4. End of the Beginning

  
  
  


**YAY!!!!!!!!! I'M SO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!**! *jumps around screaming hysterically in joy* I finally read ALL THREE G-WING GRAPHIC NOVELS!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!! *Chibi becomes all serious again* I dedicate this chapter to my best friend Omi Tsukiyono for letting me borrow her Episode Zero and Ground Zero books even when she knew it was at a risk cause my little sister had destroyed half the stuff she let me borrow, (which is a lot of stuff) for giving me tons of great ideas for stories, (most of which are yet to be typed) and most of all for being there for me and somehow always managing to cheer me up either with a death threat or making me laugh. (I was really bummed last week.) I am also dedicating this chapter to my other best friend Chang Satoru. She let me borrow her Blind Target and her Gundam Wing Technical Manual. She's another great friend who was there for me when I was down in the dumps. She's a great person to talk to and she makes me laugh too. She lets me borrow a lot of her books, most of which I haven't even started yet due to my having no free time between school work, chores, sister duty, places to go, typing this and other stories, getting a decent amount of sleep (six hours), and somehow managing to keep my parents off my back. ^^' If you're reading this Satoru I'm really sorry. 

Um……I apologize for taking so long in updating this story. I went through a tad bit of writer's block but I got over it. Writer's block must die!!! Anyway, there will be slight changes in the story, but not so big that I have to state them here cause you won't be able to really notice them considering it's pretty early in the story. These changes are being made cause I just read Episode Zero and I'm basing my story heavily upon their pasts, which are explained in EZ. 

Oh, and Little Star, I know it's kinda weird for Rellie to be all hating emotions and all that but ya gotta remember that this is AU. The circumstances of her childhood are much different from the real show. She was trained as a soldier from a very young and impressionable age. Those ways became too much a part of her that they became instincts. So even though she lost her memories of training to be a soldier she sill has those instincts. Technically, deep down, she still is and will always be a soldier. 

I would also like to point out that the title will come into play more towards the middle of the story. While we're on the topic, remember ***15 good reviews for the next chapter!!!!*** I would also like ppl to know that more so during the end of the chapter I will most likely put a bit of romance in there. Just want to warn ppl ahead of time. I might or I might not. I'll probably make a sequel to this story including more romance but I most likely will add some romance at the end. If I do it won't be much and it won't completely or even partly take over the story.(much...) Since this story is mostly action/adventure I'm not going to suddenly turn it romance. Besides, a tiny bit of romance is included in the drama category. ^^ 

Gomen to all you ppl still reading this especially long author's note. I apologize for that. Now you may proceed to the story. 

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**~A.C. 195**

Heero Yuy. 'I was right. His name…Heero.' Relena thought to herself. Her mind was confused. So many thought passing by too quickly. She pulled herself out of her thoughts and focused all her attention to what the teacher was saying. 

"Please welcome Heero Yuy to our classroom. He has just moved here from the L1 Colony. Would someone please volunteer to show Heero around the school?" No one raised his or her hand. The girls thought he was cute but were frightened by his cold demeanor, while the boys were simply freaked out because of the coldness in his voice and the fact that he looked like he could beat the crap out of them. Relena calmly raised her hand, much to the surprise of the other students since she was usually cold and anti-social. 

The teacher noticed her raised hand and tried to ignore it, but no one else had raised their hand and it would be rude to choose someone when a student had already volunteered. He sighed. "Heero, Relena Darlian will be your guide around the school. Is that all right?" "That's fine," he replied in a frigid voice. The teacher gulped. Maybe it would be alright. Heero seemed to be as cold and anti-social as Relena. They might get along. "You may sit in the empty seat next to Relena." Heero nodded and calmly walked up the steps toward Relena's seat. 

As he passed many of the girls tried to flirt with him but they stopped as soon as he fixed them with his cold glare. When he reached Relena's seat he calmly sat down next to her. Relena turned her head and shot him a death glare cold enough to rival his own. He gave her one back and the death glare contest began. Heero broke the silence by muttering, "Omae o korosu." Relena smirked and replied. "I'd like to see you try." With that both of them turned their attention back to the teacher. 

The rest of the day passed uneventfully for the most part. Classes went by quickly and pretty soon it was time for lunch. Relena got her food and sat at a small table outside at the far end of the courtyard. A few minutes after she had sat down and begun eating, a tray of food was placed on the table in front of her. She looked up to see Heero sit down across from her and calmly begin eating. She looked at him slightly curious. "Why are you here?" she asked him a cold, monotone voice with only the slightest hint of curiosity. "It's too crowded and since this was the only table remotely empty I sat here. Besides, those other people talk too much." "Fair enough." 

They ate in silence for awhile, both lost in their thoughts. After a moment Relena spoke up. "I have a feeling that I've met you before. You were the boy that came here before, weren't you? The war orphan that was accepted into this school in A.C 191?" Heero nodded slightly. They fell silent once more. "I still have the feeling of knowing you from before." Heero said nothing. Nothing more was said between them during the lunch period. 

After school Relena began walking towards her home. She hated being picked up in a car when she could just as easily walk. It didn't take long. Her home was only a half-hour away if she walked, ten minutes if she ran. "Why are you following me?" she called behind her. "I'm not. I live this way." "If you're walking this way at least walk beside me, don't walk behind me, I don't like it." Heero complied and moved up to walk beside her. 

Out of the corner of her eye Relena noticed something sticking out of a slightly open edge of Heero's school case. It appeared to be the corner of a blueprint. The design schematics for something…… something that appeared to be a bit like what she had drawn in her notebook. She could only see a bit of the picture, only the edge of something that appeared to be a beam cannon, but it seemed familiar. She snatched it out of his case and opened it before he could react. 

Heero stopped and turned to face Relena who had stopped. He had noticed her glancing at the schematics for the Wing Gundam that were in his case, but he hadn't been expecting her to snatch it out of his case. He noticed that her eyes seemed distant. Almost as if she were remembering. He hoped so. 

As soon as Relena got a good look at the schematics she saw that it wasn't the one she had drawn but it was similar. Its body was a bit broader than the one she had drawn and the wings were different. The weapon was a beam cannon but not the same and she had a feeling the colors were different as well. There were more, she was sure of it. 

Six gundams……gundams………….that's what they were called… Five young men…... herself………pilots…… Heero…… Odin Lowe……….. Dr. J……… Wing…… Angel…….. Death…… Destruction……… Bloodshed…….. Killing……… Training……… Reprogramming…… Mission……… Operation Meteor……… Darkness……… Loneliness……… 'No more…no more…' 

Relena fell to the ground on her knees dropping the schematics. Her face was slightly contorted in pain and her eyes were a bit glossy but she let no tears fall. Heero kneeled next to her and picked up the schematics and put them away. He rested a hand on her shoulder. "Relena?" Relena looked up at Heero an emotionless mask on her face. Heero wouldn't be fooled so easily. He could see that in her eyes there was an immeasurable pain. "Don't try to hide from me Relena. I can see the pain in your eyes." Relena let out a stiff grin. "You always knew me too well. Must have remembered too quickly. Probably fried a few brain cells. No matter, I got plenty more. I wanna se if Angel's still okay. Can we go?" Heero nodded and helped her up. 

Relena went home first to change out of the school uniform while Heero did the same. As soon as Relena stepped inside the house everything seemed so different and foreign to her. Like the place she called home for seven years just wasn't anymore. She knew the truth. She could confront her uncle but decided not to. Not yet. She went up to her room and looked around. It was painted a deep blue. Now that she looked at it closely it was almost the same color as Heero's eyes. 

Her room was filled with stuffed animals in one corner, most of which were left untouched and were brand new even after sitting there for years. All except one. It was a small stuffed brown bear that for some reason she just couldn't put it away. The bear itself was a little beat up, from being hugged and held. She had found the bear on a colony where a military base had been destroyed. The explosion had apparently also destroyed surrounding apartment s and killed many innocent people. She had found the bear sitting in snow, looking so lost and alone, a little bit away from the ruins and couldn't leave it there. She knew what it was like to be lost and alone. She felt compelled to take it, like it was part of something bigger, something that she had once known. 

In the middle of her room she had a large bed. It was fluffy and soft with tons of pillows but a little too frilly for her likes. Her aunt had wanted to put pink bedsheets and a pink comforter, but Relena had flatly refused and wanted the same blue as the walls were painted. Her aunt had conceded, but instead of the plain bedsheets she had wanted her aunt bought the kind with the frilly lace border. She put up with it but hated it anyway. 

In one corner of her room she had a mahogany wood desk to do her homework along with her own P.C. She wondered what happened to her laptop. She needed it to do a few maintenance scans on the Angel. She wondered about the locked drawer at the bottom of the desk so she took out a hairpin and began picking at the lock. After a few seconds she had unlocked the drawer and opened it to find the backpack she had been wearing when she first came down to earth for the mission. She opened it to find her laptop along with a few things like clothes and her tool case. Apparently her aunt and uncle hadn't even bothered to look in her backpack before locking it away. She took out her laptop and tool case and put them into her other backpack after checking to make sure all the tools were there. 

She took out the clothes to look at them. They consisted of a pair of black spandex shorts and a dark blue tank top. She smiled remembering and wondered if she had something similar. After digging through her drawers she found that she did have a pair of black spandex shorts and a dark blue tank top. Relena changed into them and stood in front of her mirror. 

For some reason she felt complete again. Like all the missing pieces in the puzzle that was her soul had somehow magically reappeared and filled the empty spaces. Part of it had to do with remembering her past. Part of it knowing why she was always so alert and why she always felt like there was a mission to be completed. Part of it knowing for sure who she was. Most of all, it was because of Heero. All her life living with the Darlians she was always so alone. She never had any friends, most considered her too frigid or conceited and selfish. Others simply didn't care. But now…now she knew she had a friend. A friend that would stay by her side no matter what. Heero had been her only and best friend growing up with Odin and Dr. J. When she lost all memories of him it seemed like a part of her soul was dead and would forever remind her that something was missing. Now everything was fine. All missing pieces were gone and she could finally be back to what she did best, fighting. Couldn't she? 

She grabbed a pair of socks and hastily put them on, jamming her feet in a pair of white gym shoes and tying them up quickly. She grabbed her backpack and, hoisting it onto her back, ran out of her room and down the stairs toward the front door. Unfortunately, her aunt noticed her and stopped her. 

"Where are you going dressed like that?" Relena shrugged. "Out for a run." "Why don't you change into a jogging suit?" "Too hot out there." "You're not leaving this house dressed like that." Relena shrugged. "I'll do as I please." She sidestepped her aunt and headed once more towards the front door only to be stopped by her aunt grabbing her wrist. "As long as you're in this house you will do as I say." "Then I'll move out." "No you won't. You're not even of legal age yet." Relena shrugged once more. "No matter. I can take care of myself perfectly well." Her aunt finally yielded. "Fine, go out. But be careful." "I'll be fine. Don't worry." 

Relena ran out the door and headed for the edge of the forest. Along the way she got a few stares but one death glare from her quickly stopped them. When she finally reached the forest edge she saw Heero waiting for her. He was wearing his usual training clothes consisting of black spandex shorts and a green tank top. He smirked at her attire. "I see that you still insist on matching what I wear." "You seem to have forgotten that I began wearing this first and you copied me." 

"…" 

"I thought so." 

Heero scowled and began walking through the forest. "Uh, do you even know where the Angel is?" "Of course I do. Do you think I would just begin walking through the middle of an uncharted forest not knowing where I was going? If you say yes then I'll kill you." Relena grinned. Same old Heero. They talked a bit while walking. Not much, since they weren't very talkative to begin with, but after being apart so many years they simply felt the need to catch up on what had been happening in their lives for the past seven years. 

Heero had gone through extensive training procedures, both of the body and mind. His body had been pushed past the limit so many times it simply didn't seem to have a limit anymore. Although the physical training had been harsh, the mental and emotional training had been harsher still, ultimately cruel. Emotions were a weakness, he had been taught that since the beginning, he and Relena both. They had been forced down deep in the beginning, but for Heero, they made him completely eradicate them. They forced him to become a cruel, ruthless, merciless fighting machine. They trained him to do anything for the sake of completing the mission, no matter what the stakes. 

A machine..........that's what they turned him into. Relena seethed with anger at the thought of Dr. J and the others brainwashing Heero. Turning him into a soulless machine, an empty shell. A ghost of who he used to be. Simply by looking at him, noticing the tiny hints given away by his posture, clues so miniscule that only someone who had known him for long would be able to pick up them, she could tell that he wasn't the same. He didn't have that slightly optimistic aura around him that he used to have when he was younger. It was replaced by a simple emptiness, it showed in the way he walked, carried himself, like there was nothing worth fighting for anymore, like his purpose was gone. And there was nothing sadder and more lonely than a soldier without a purpose. 

Relena herself had gone through terrible hardships. The simple fact that she had been wiped clean of her memories had pretty much started the path that would probably most likely lead to her own destruction. She was alone; there was nothing worse than being alone. That in itself a cruel punishment. One that caused everything else. At the beginning, she doubted herself because of her lack of friends. Who could say if she really was who the Darlians told her she was? She had no friends from school to back it up, no one to reassure her. She had always been quiet, and she became more so after only a week of receiving taunts and teases from classmates at school. She became cold and anti-social, isolating herself from the rest. That caused her more problems. In the beginning she would get punched and bullied from other people thinking she was stuck up. Her tears of pain would only encourage them more so she simply taught herself that emotion were weak, that they caused only more pain and suffering. She never cried after that and anyone who would have paid attention could have seen that she was slowly dying inside. She simply didn't let herself *feel* anymore. 

It is true that people are weak. They are easily corrupted by greed, ambitions of power, hate, disillusions of the truth; they can be effortlessly swayed by false ideals of how things should be. It is true that people need people to survive. No matter how hostile and cold the person may be, all people need at least one friend. For no matter how much the person may be capable of caring and providing for themselves, people depend on others to some degree, and all need the basic feelings of friendship and care. Of all aspects of human nature it is true that friendship is the most important. Friendship is the basis for any intimate relationship, be it between lovers, family, or friends. Of all emotions it is also true that love is the most essential. Without love, the human being has no reason to exist; its life is meaningless and obsolete. 

In a world without friendship and love, without the warmth of human kindness, two souls struggle to find out exactly who they are, and a reason for existence. Two young people must discover where they belong, in a world full of hatred in war, never to have known the tenderness of human affection, and how to survive, having no one to lean to. In a world where warfare and peace alike seem shunned, where only shades of gray appear, can two young spirits fight for what they believe to be right, while trying to survive and keep their humanity? 

~`~`~`~` 

Wow............never thought I could write something so insightful. Most of the time I act like an air-headed ditz. The last two paragraphs set the stage for the rest of the story. Right here is where all the introductions and preludes end and the real story begins. Is it possible for a warrior to keep fighting when he has lost sight of what he was fighting for? You wanna find out? Read the next chapter. But for me to post the next chapter I must have at least ***15 GOOD REVIEWS.*** Ja ne!!! ~Chibi   



	5. Angel Gundam

  
  


**READ!!!!!! READ OR DIE!!!!! **Ughhh………*sniff* I simply do not feel good today so don't sue me if you don't like this chappie. Leave me alone. I already feel like a piece of crap and I will not need anymore bullshit. I'm sorry if I'm coming off as a bitch but I'm pissed off at you baka yaros not reviewing. I've asked you time and time again, PLEASE review and you people keep blowing my threats off. Considering that no one seems to be reading my story I will have to assume that it is a complete failure and I will simply delete it. For those people that have reviewed the most, Ley, Lilia Karasu, Silver Wing, (sorry if I forgot your name but I'm getting these from the ones I can remember off the top of my head) and my new beta reader Chibi Cat, I am eternally grateful. You people are really awesome people. You have enough decency to review a story that you read. Seriously, I don't care if flame me, I just want reviews. I know it may seem a bit selfish of me but I am brain dead right now, not in a good mood, and ticked at you ppl for not reviewing, so pardon me if I'm in super bitch-mode. Again, eternal thanks to those people that *did* review. To the rest of you baka yaros, if you do not review I will simply have to delete my fanfic off the site. It is obviously not being read. Thank you for reading my very long rant of anger, now you may continue to the story. Ughh………*sniff* *mutters something about getting cold medicine and an extra-strength Tylenol for the major migraine* 

**~ A.C.195**

Both of them walked through the forest silently. After hearing what the other had been through they simply wanted to walk quietly and enjoy the other's company. Each had too much in their minds to speak freely. 

After a few minutes more of hiking through the uneven terrain of the forest they came across a small clearing. There, covered by all sorts of dying or dead vegetation, was Angel. The gundam was still intact, though a tad bit dirty, and seemed perfectly fine. Even so, Relena wouldn't be satisfied until she had checked over every inch of her Gundam and run all system checks. 

She calmly walked over to Angel and began to pick off the rotting vegetation from the Gundam's frame. Heero walked over to help her. They worked in silence, Relena glancing at him every so often trying to reassure herself that Heero was really there. That it wasn't just a dream created by her tortured and lonely mind. 

Heero noticed that she seemed to be unconsciously staying very close to him. He could not blame her. He knew what it was like to be alone. To not have any say in his own life. To have his spirit crushed every single day of life. Not to know what to fight for anymore. He knew. 

It didn't take long for Heero and Relena to finish clearing the junk off of Angel. Once done, Heero stood back as he watched Relena carefully inspect every nook and cranny of her gundam. Apparently she hadn't forgotten any detail of the schematics and still had one intact and complete in her mind. He watched as she carefully opened a compartment in one of the feathers in the first wing and took out her weaponry. He silently praised her good judgement in disarming herself before heading into town. Even with her memories swiped she could still have caused a lot of damage. 

She checked over her weapons before fastening them on her body. Her 9mm gun was strapped in its holster low around her hips, gunslinger style. A small knife was inserted behind the gun. Small explosives were tucked into pockets on her belt, while one was inserted into the heel of either sneaker. (a/n: Don't ask me how. Heero has them in Ground Zero. He just takes an explosive from the heel of his gym shoes.) After arming herself, Relena turned her attention back to her gundam. She gave it another going over before being satisfied. She opened the cockpit and stepped in, although Heero noticed her slight hesitation. 

She carefully sat down on the seat and looked around the inside of the cockpit. She brushed her hand slowly over the controls, remembering how to pilot the Gundam in an instant. She quickly punched in a few buttons and complete scans of the Gundam's systems came up on screen. Relena's didn't miss any details as she quickly scanned over the information, making sure all systems were green. She removed her laptop from her backpack and using a direct link cable, connected it to the Gundam. She ran full scans of the combat systems, weaponry, and the outer frame on her laptop before checking over combat data and her mission objective. After updating some of the data she saved a copy on her laptop, closed it and removed the link cable. She glanced out of her cockpit to see what Heero was doing. She saw him sitting quietly on the floor at the base of a tree with his eyes closed, seemingly asleep although she knew that he was probably as alert as ever. 

He had changed so much it seemed. Like he was a completely different person and yet he was the same person he had always been. The walls he had put around his heart appeared stronger and yet weaker at the same time. Before she could get him to smile with a bit of effort, but now it was much harder to get him to even smirk. And yet, back then, he had showed much less care for her, even though she knew that he cared for her very much he had never shown it, and now he seemed a bit more open with her. It was slightly disconcerting. Almost like she didn't know him anymore, despite the feeling that she knew him better now than ever. Relena forced those thoughts out of her mind and concentrated on focusing her mind to her mission. 

She jumped out of her gundam and landed on her feet on the floor although her feet stung a little. She was out of shape and she knew it. She would have to return to her training routine. She walked over to Heero ignoring the slight pain from her feet and stood in front of him. 

"You're out of shape," was all he said. 

"I know," she growled back. "I need the mission details. What is your purpose in being here?" 

"There is a base nearby. My mission is to destroy it. You must contact Dr. J. he will give you your next mission." 

Relena nodded and glanced at her watch. "It's getting late. I have to go." 

Heero agreed and stood up. "I'll accompany you." Relena simply nodded. 

"How have you been Heero?" 

"Fine. You?" 

"Alright. My aunt and uncle are hosting a birthday party for me this weekend and have practically invited the whole school. Would you care to attend?" 

Heero didn't answer for a moment. "I might." 

Relena smirked. "Translation: 'Yes Relena. I will attend.' Am I right?" 

Heero only scowled. 

"I knew it," Relena grinned when Heero's scowl turned darker. They were approaching the end of the woods so Relena turned back to make sure that the Angel was still hidden from view. Satisfied that it was, she turned and began walking home with Heero walking beside her. 

"Do you still run early morning?" Relena asked Heero. 

"Hn.*" 

"Good. Come pick me up at 5:30 a.m. I need to get back in shape." 

"Hn.#" 

"Great I'll be waiting for you. How many miles do you run nowadays?" 

"Nine in an hour." 

Relena made a face. "Fine. I'll survive. Don't forget to pick me up. If you don't I'll kill you." After muttering that comment she remembered that she still had her weapons on in plain view. Relena quickly took them off and stuffed them in her backpack, hoping no one had seen. They were already close to her house so she turned to Heero before sprinting towards the gate. 

"I'm glad I have my memories back Heero. But most of all I'm really happy that you're back." 

Heero's cold, hard eyes softened for a minute and turned a bit warmer as he gazed at her. "Me too Relena. Me too." 

Relena smiled and took off for home while Heero kept walking towards his apartment on the next block. He was truly glad that Relena had regained her memories but he suspected that it had happened too soon. He didn't know, but he hoped everything would straighten itself out in the end. As he walked he cleared his mind once more and his eyes turned hard and cold again. 

~`~`~`~` 

* ~ Translation: Yes I do, why are you asking?   
# ~ Translation: I don't want to but fine. 

Yes I know that Heero was a bit OOC in the end but it's my story and I'll do what I want. I'm having a hard time keeping their personalities (with the exception of Relena of course) true to that of the anime and manga while developing my plot line and the character relationships. The other characters, namely Duo will begin to appear in the next chapter. Please review if you want the next chapter. I will not put up any more requirements because I'm sick of them not being kept. If I think that I have enough reviews I will post the next chapter. If not, I'm simply gonna delete this story from FF.N. Once again, immeasurable gratitude is due to all those people that *did* review. To all those baka yarous that did not, I hope that if you ever post a story or already have, that no one reviews them. If you didn't have much time and simply saved the file to read later I understand but please try to review later. It means a lot and gives encouragement to us measly little fanfic authors. Thank you once more to these people that have actually read my entire rant (including the author's note) and please review. Ja ne! ~ Chibi 

P.S. A million thanx to Chibi Cat for being an awesome beta reader!!!!!!! Thank you for fixing all my little errors and making my fic so much easier to read!!!!!!! You're the best!!!!!! *happy dance* ^-^   



	6. Early Morning Training

Please don't hurt me!!!!!! I'm sorry I haven't updated during the whole summer vacation. School starts on Monday..........I no wanna go back.... Um.....now that school's starting again I'm probably not gonna update as often as I used to.......well, as often as I did the first few chapters anyways. I'm also starting to write another story but I'm not posting it until it's completed and right now this is my first priority. I wanna finish this story so I can proudly say that I have at least one story done! I WANT REVIEWS!!!! Please?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! *puppy dog eyes* Well, go on and read the story!!!  
  
~ A.C. 195  
  
Relena pulled her house keys from a small compartment in her backpack and unlocked the front door to her house. She pushed open the door, walked in, and gently closed the door behind her. After making sure the door was properly closed and locked, Relena turned and proceeded to bound up the stairs toward her room.  
  
"Relena! Come down her for a minute," called the voice of her adoptive father, her uncle.  
  
Relena stopped mid-bound, calmly turned around, and quietly walked down the stairs.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Come into the living room. Your mother and I would like to talk to you."  
  
Relena almost said that they weren't her parents but she stopped herself in time. She mutely followed her surrogate father into the living room where her aunt was already waiting, sitting on the couch, nervously twiddling her thumbs. Relena had the urge to smirk at the sight of her usually calm and composed aunt being so nervous but restrained herself, letting no emotion pass through her façade.  
  
Her uncle seated himself on the couch beside his wife and motioned for Relena to sit in the soft, plush chair across from them. She complied.  
  
"Relena," began her uncle. "What we're about to tell you will probably be extremely shocking to you, and you might not believe us but it's true. We have decided that it's time you know the truth. You see.you're not exactly.well." he faltered, struggling to find the right words to express his meaning.  
  
Relena gazed at them expectantly. She had a pretty good idea what they were about to say but decided to wait until they actually said it.  
  
"We're not your real parents," Mrs. Darlian said quickly. Mr. Darlian nodded. They looked at her as if expecting her to suddenly freak out.  
  
Relena nodded crisply. "I knew that already."  
  
Her aunt and uncle appeared startled. "Y-y-you knew?" her aunt stammered out.  
  
Relena nodded again. "My real parents were the king and queen of the Sanq Kingdom which was destroyed when I was two years old. You found me knocked out on your doorstep when I was eight years old with no memory whatsoever of exactly who or where I was and you took me in claiming I was your daughter."  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Darlian looked shocked that she already knew and yet felt slightly relieved that they wouldn't have to explain.  
  
"What happened during those six years from the destruction of the Sanq Kingdom up until you came to us?" Mr. Darlian asked out of curiosity.  
  
Relena answered curtly. "If you do not know then it is not for me to tell you. Such information is classified."  
  
The confused and slightly apprehensive looks on the face of her aunt and uncle testified that they did not know nor did they want to know anymore.  
  
"Alright then. By the way, your birthday party is still on, we simply felt that you should know since you're old enough."  
  
Relena gave her aunt and uncle, whom had shown her nothing but tender love and care over the years, a small but happy smile and hugged them briefly. "Thank you," she whispered.  
  
With that she turned and ran up the stairs to her room.  
  
~ Next Day ~A.C 195  
  
Relena was up and about at five in the morning. She changed to her training clothes, the black spandex shorts and blue tank, tied her hair up in a tight ponytail, and did a few warm-up stretches.  
  
She had just finished when she heard the doorbell ring. She ran down the stairs and reached the front door a few seconds behind her groggy aunt, whose room was on the first floor.  
  
"What crazy lunatic is up at this ungodly hour of the morning?" she grumbled sleepily, reaching to open the door.  
  
"It's okay. You can go back to sleep. It's for me," Relena told her aunt.  
  
"What? Oh, Relena. What do you mean it's for you? Where are you going dressed like that again?"  
  
"It's a friend. He's here to pick me up for exercises. I'll be back at seven the latest."  
  
"Well, let me at least meet him," she mumbled slightly angry. "I would like to meet who just woke me up at five-thirty in the morning."  
  
She quickly unlocked the door and threw it open to reveal Heero Yuy standing on the other side. Mrs. Darlian just stood there staring openly at the young man before her.  
  
He was dressed in practically the same attire as her niece, with the exception of the tank that was green, which revealed a very muscular frame. One, that up until that point, she hadn't thought possible on a fifteen- year-old. He had unruly dark brown hair that fell into his face in messy spikes. But the feature that most stood out about him were his eyes. They were a deep Prussian blue color, but completely cold. Freezing, ice-cold eyes set into such a young face unnerved her.  
  
"Mrs. Darlian. Is Relena home?"  
  
She suppressed an urge to shudder. His voice was just as cold as his eyes. Cold, calculating, utterly calm and unafraid. The crisp, curt voice had so completely shaken her that she simply turned around and walked stupidly back to her room.  
  
Relena shook her head and sighed. "You could have at least left her some remnants of her wits, which you completely scattered to the four winds," she told him, walking out of the house and locking the door behind her.  
  
Heero glared at her. "It's not my fault you didn't answer the door fast enough."  
  
"Enough of this. We have training to begin."  
  
Heero motioned for her to follow him and he took off at a quick pace down the block.  
  
About forty-five minutes and almost seven miles later, Relena was beginning to have a hard time keeping up with Heero who was still going at the same fast, quick pace as three-quarters of an hour ago.  
  
Heero noticed Relena starting to struggle but didn't slow down the pace at which he was running. He threw her a water bottle and kept running.  
  
Relena caught the bottle effortlessly and downed almost half of the contents in one gulp. She was angry though. Angry at herself for letting herself get so out of shape. She couldn't even keep up with Heero running a lousy nine miles so how could she possibly keep up the fast pace needed for missions? With her determination strengthened she put on an extra burst of energy and quickly caught up with Heero, determined to stay there.  
  
Relena ran up to her porch at six thirty-five completely tired. She did a few cool-down stretches before turning to Heero.  
  
"Thank you Heero."  
  
"Hn."  
  
"I'll see you later at school and then my party alright?"  
  
"Hn."  
  
"Good. I'll contact Dr. J as soon as I get inside and see about my mission. Maybe all tag along on yours, not that you need any help."  
  
Heero scowled at her.  
  
Relena grinned but turned to go inside. Just before she stepped in her house she glanced back to see him walking away. A soft smile graced her features for a minute but when she turned back her face was once more an expressionless mask, hard-set and focused, ready to face Dr. J.  
  
~`~`~`  
  
I know that I had said that Duo and some of the others would show up in this chapter but I just couldn't put them into this chapter. Also, this chapter didn't seem to want to be written and there's something about it that just doesn't seem to fit with the previous chapters. I'm not sure. If any of you get that feeling please tell me so I can improve the next one. Duo *will* show up next chapter, or at most the chappie after that one. I swear. If he doesn't I give you ppl permission to crush me with my own gundam. ^^ The Chibi Hawk might not like being deprived of it's pilot but if ya wanna do that go ahead. But only if Duo does not appear. Which he will giving you no right to crush me beneath my gundam. Okay, now I'm just babbling. Go review, I must work on the next couple chapters.starring pilot 02. Duo Maxwell!!!!! ^^ Ja ne!! ~ Chibi  
  
P.S. I'm sorry about the chapters being so short and having a ton of chapters covering only the first few episodes of the anime. But trust me, it's just that I need these first few chappies covering these episodes. They are crucial. N E Wayz, when I finally get Duo in here things will start to move a little faster. I'm not going to make a chapter for every damn episode of this series. That would make it too long because I will be going into Endless Waltz as well. This will be more or less a rewrite of the series, but there will be major changes and different outcomes will occur. I promise to make this fic worth your time. Just please bear with me because the first chapters will be slow. Thanx a bunch!!! ~Chibi 


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